“His wife? He’s asleep?” Snyder gaped at her. “He talked to you about his wife and he fell asleep? Are you a miracle worker?”
It was Saffron’s turn to be astonished. “Whatever do you mean?”
Snyder took off his glasses and hurriedly wiped them on a handkerchief, blinking as he replaced them. “Miss Everleigh, I’ve been trying to get the man to sit down and rest for days! He’s been roaming around the hospital like a mother hen worried about her eggs. He won’t admit he’s concerned about her.”
“But he said she’d filed for divorce—”
“Yes, yes,” he said, waving his hand absently, “she did file the papers and have them delivered, but she probably just did it to get under his skin before the expedition. She’s already done it once, just before he went to Spain two years ago. Henry nearly skinned the messenger alive! But a week later she called it off. I don’t know the sort of games she plays, but in all likelihood it wasn’t serious.”
Saffron didn’t know what to make of that. “But I heard Mrs. Henry talking at Sir Edward’s party, and she seemed very angry with him.”
“I wouldn’t trust what you overhear, Miss Everleigh,” he said, looking about conspiratorially. “I overheard the argument between Dr. Maxwell and Dr. Henry, a completely overblown argument with so much shouting and carrying on, but it didn’t mean anything. Just blowing hot air, the two of them.”
Saffron stared at him. “Did you tell Inspector Green about the argument?”
“Well, yes, he asked about any recent arguments Dr. Henry had. Hard to remember them all, of course.” He smiled sheepishly.
Her fists balling at her sides, she hissed, “Mr. Snyder, that argument between Dr. Henry and Dr. Maxwell that you seem to think nothing of is the reason that Dr. Maxwell was—is under arrest for the poisoning!” She was furious. “Who else knew about the argument?”
“D-Dr. Berking was also here, I believe. He had the next appointment,” Snyder stammered, nonplussed by her vehemence.
Dr. Berking had probably also recounted the fight, and possibly the threats Dr. Maxwell made, to the inspector. At the door, Saffron turned to the baffled Snyder and said, “Sorry, I must dash, Mr. Snyder. Please do take care of Dr. Henry.”
CHAPTER 19
Saffron sped back to the nearly deserted North Wing, hoping Alexander was still there. Their argument utterly forgotten, she burst through his door, ready to spill Dr. Henry’s revelations.
He looked up with raised brows. “Saffron, I was just leaving—”
“Not yet!” Saffron exclaimed. “It’s important! I just finished meeting with Dr. Henry.”
Alexander set his bag down on his chair. “What happened?”
“The poor man was terribly overwrought. He was drunk and in tears.”
Alexander stared at her. “Good Lord, Everleigh, what did you do to him?”
“I asked about his wife, and he cracked like an egg. After he had a few drinks, he told me that she had filed for divorce and he had no idea what to do,” she said, wide-eyed and still breathing hard. “I was absolutely shocked. I mean, he’s a world-renowned scholar and explorer, and he totally fell apart. I think he really does love her. I don’t think he poisoned her.”
“It’s still possible he tried to poison Blake but got his wife by mistake. That would make him miserable and guilty.”
“Blake!” Saffron exclaimed, hands raised in aggravation. “I didn’t ask Dr. Henry about the equipment forms. How could I have forgotten? Key evidence!” She shook her head at her missed opportunity. “Oh well. I’ll have the chance to find out more tomorrow.”
Alexander glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry, I really must go.”
Face heating at the realization that her interruption was unwanted, she said, “Oh, of course.”
He slipped on his jacket, without doing up his cuff links, and slung his bag over his shoulder. Saffron followed him out of the office and stood awkwardly as he locked it.
“Goodnight,” he said with a brief smile.
“Goodnight,” she replied, forcing one of her own.
He disappeared down the stairwell, and Saffron wondered if he had someone to meet. He had said he went out in the evenings sometimes, though it disgruntled her a bit to consider that he might be out with some beautiful woman who wouldn’t be buried shoulder-deep in botanical tomes and frantic revisions. It was fine he wasn’t available for her investigation discussions, she forcefully thought as she went into her office to collect her things. Even if the playing field of suspects had been significantly narrowed. But that tantalizing thought would have to wait for the next twenty-four hours. She had a study proposal to revise.